The Dog, the Sparkler, the Cookie, and the Spider leg
by Phantom-Shalnark
Summary: Ging has been chosen as an examiner in the next Hunter exam (paid, of course). However, when a deranged cultic society looks to destroy the Hunter association from the inside, he decides to again take the test - with his life at stake! Good thing he has help from a few new and old friends. Rated T for safety, R&R!
1. Ch 1: Exam number Ging

"And so it begins."

Ging looked around. It was a big and long cavern that seemed to go on forever. The rocky walls allowed for the many voices to echo about. The ground was soft, and as he walked over it in his brown combat boots, dark green pants and grey tank top, he tried to see who was going to survive.

He didn't have many picks.

It had started one week earlier from that day.

"_Ging, you've been picked, so you need to come," Pariston's voice was whiny, and his flashy blue suit didn't help the matters. "You'll be the first examiner at the next Hunter exam, got it?" He didn't know how Pariston had found him at a random coffee shop in Yorknew of all places, but it creeped him out. A lot._

"_I said no, Parry, so go away. Find someone else to do it, I'm busy." He took another bite out of his apple, and threw the rest away, landing a hit on the back of the head of a random passerby. Pariston pouted. "Aw, come on, Ging, you know it's too late for that. All you need to do is kill off a few hundred people or so."_

_Ging sighed. He knew Pariston wouldn't give up easily. "...Pay me." Pariston smiled. "Sure. How much?" Ging smirked. "Whatever you got in that secret vault in your office." Pariston gasped. "How did you know about that?" Were those sparkles around his head?_

_Ging sneered. "I know people. So, do we have a deal?" Pariston swirled a tiny spoon around in his coffee, a light scent of berry filling the air. "...Oh, fine, Ging. Be at the destination I've given you on time, okay?"_

_Seriously, did anyone else see the sparkles?_

The time had come. The Hunter exam would soon start, and about seventeen hundred people had arrived to partake in it. Ging blended into the crowd, roaming around to see who was who. The crowd was quite the variety.

He saw a young girl dancing around in a ballerina costume of a bright pink colour, her black hair in two braids. Another older man had a white beard that would make Netero jealous. There was a tiny old woman who looked like had had just come out of a windstorm, with crazy, wild hair and large eyes.

There were some hopefuls, like a few with real weapons, and some who he could tell had vast experience.He smirked. "So, this should be interesting." He glanced over to see a short but bigger man carrying pop cans around and trying to persuade others to drink some. He walked over. "Wow, what's this you got here?"

The man turned around, and smiled. "Oh, hello there. My name is Tonpa." He held one of the cans up. "Care for a drink?"

A rookie crusher. Ging could smell the poison in the pop from where he was standing, and they weren't even open. Figures.

"Why, sure! I'm parched!" Tonpa handed him one, and he popped it open. "...Oh, I nearly forget!" Tonpa grinned. "Is something the matter?" Ging grinned, showing off his teeth, and, taking the pop, poured it all over Tonpa's hair and clothes. "I hate the flavour poison puts in my pop."

Examinees all around them backed away, whispering to themselves. Tonpa looked around, horrified, and backed away. "Well, uh, maybe...next year!" He booked it out of the nearest exit, and Ging smiled. "Come back soon...loser!"

"Ging!" He turned to see Pariston walk up to him. "So you made it!" Ging scoffed. "Of course I did, you're paying me quite the penny." Pariston was wearing a striped pink suit, and Ging began to wish that he had a can of pop to give him.

"Are you ready?" Pariston looked around. "There are a lot of examinees to rid of this year. Can you handle it?" Ging snorted. "Can I handle it? Don't you remember who you're talking to? My phase is sure to knock off at least seven hundred examinees!"

Pariston whistled. "Seven hundred?...that's it?" Ging knocked him upside the head. "That's plenty, you idiot!" Pariston whimpered. "You're so mean, Ging." Ging ignored him. "Now, who else do we have here?..."

"ME!"

Ging looked around. Did someone just say something? Pariston stood beside him, glancing around. "Did you hear that?" Ging nodded. "Good, I'm not going crazy, then." Where had the voice come from?

"Down!"

What? Both he and Pariston looked down wards-

To see a tiny boy staring up at them.

At first, Ging didn't know what to say. The boy was small, wearing a blue tunic over white pants and a white t-shirt, with little dark blue slippers. He had blonde hair, and giant, green eyes, and a huge smile. "Uh...hello?"

The boy giggled. "Hi!" Pariston cooed. "Well, there's someone I didn't think would ever show up." Ging looked up at him. "What do you mean?" Pariston shrugged. " I mean, a child at an exam? Wow. He's younger than you were when you passed your exam."

Ging didn't believe it. Twelve was a young enough age to pass the exam. He turned his attention back to the boy. "Say, how old are you?" The boy laughed. "I just turned six!" Ging nearly fell over. "YOU'RE ONLY SIX?!"

The boy looked up and around. "Ooh...this place is big!" He spun around, and Ging tried to regain his composure. "So, uh...how did you get here?" The boy smiled at him. "I followed you!" Pariston hit him on the head. "Way to go, Ging."

Ging stood up and glared at him. "How was I supposed to know a child was following me?" Pariston clicked his tongue. "This is what happens when you take the front door like everyone else and try to blend in."

Again, Ging ignored him, and turned to the boy. "So, kid, you got a name?" The boy danced around. "Yup! I'm Shalnark! And I'm going to get my driver's license here!"

Ging's eyes widened. "Driver's license?!"


	2. Ch 2: Too tiny for the trap

"You're here...for a driver's license?" Ging didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the kid. Shalnark swayed back and fourth, still smiling like it was his birthday. "Yup. I'm going to drive once I get it!"

Pariston sighed, and crouched down. "I'm sorry, Shalnark, but there are two problems with that; One, you're too young to drive now, even with a license. Two, this isn't a driver's test." Shalnark frowned. "Awwwwww, so I can't drive yet?"

Ging snickered. "Tough luck, kid. Now, head on home before the Hunter exam starts." Shalnark looked up at him with curiosity. Oh, no. "What's a Hunter exam?" Pariston smiled. "Oh, it's a test for people who want to become Hunters, people who are special, with all sorts of benefits, such as access to restricted areas and information, and whatnot."

Ging kicked his back, and he fell face first into the dirt. "Don't tell him that, you nimrod!" Pariston stood up and dusted off his suit. "Well, that's just plain rude." He pointed at Shalnark. "I'm just telling him what it is."

Ging moaned. If the kid knows what it is, he'll-

"I want to play, too!"

Typical.

"No way, kid," Ging poked him. "I'm not wasting my amazing phase on someone as tiny as you." Shalnark looked up at him, and tears started to form under his eyes. "B-but..." Pariston whispered into his ear. "Now you've done it."

"I-I wanna play, t-too!" Shalnark began to wail, and Ging winced at the pitch he reached. The kid could seriously be an opera singer. "NO, Shalnark, go home!" Shalnark continued to cry. "Oh, boy," Ging went to pick him up and escort him out, but Shalnark dashed for his leg, and clamped onto it.

"H-hey!" Ging shook his leg, but Shalnark wouldn't let go. "I wanna play!" He looked to Pariston for help, but the rat had snuck off somewhere, no doubt to videotape him. Examinees began to chuckle and laugh.

"Oh, stop that!" He glared at them, and stomped his foot up and down, yet Shalnark wouldn't move. "I wanna play, I wanna play!" He groaned loudly. "FINE! YOU CAN PARTAKE IN THE HUNTER EXAM! SEE IF I CARE!"

Everyone cut their talking and turned to face him. Oops. Shalnark wiped his nose on his sleeve, and looked up at him with big eyes. "W-weally?" Ging gritted his teeth. "Yes, weally. Go wild, punk." Shalnark let his leg go, and smiled. "Yeah!"

Pariston walked out from the crowds. "Sorry, I had to videotape something." He clapped his hands. "Welcome, one and all!" He nudged Ging on the shoulder, and he mumbled. "Yeah, welcome to the...well, whatever number we're at, Hunter exam."

No applause. No sound. No one asking questions. He felt like everyone was trying to see who would go first. Guess that was his cue. "Alright, then," He jumped up and stood on Pariston's shoulders, who's face flustered. "Ging!"

"Well, basically, I don't think half of you will survive my first test for you." Anger. Resentment. Bluntness. Sounds came out one by one, and he loved it. "Want to prove to me that you have what it takes? Then live."

Shalnark stuck his hand up. What did he think this was, class time? "Uh, you, down there in the tunic." Shalnark smiled. "Can I have a piggyback?" An uproar of laughter came from the rest of the crowd, and Ging smacked his forehead. "No, you can't have a piggyback!"

"Now!" Ging pointed down the cavern. "All you have to do is make it to the exit alive. Easy?" He jumped off of Pariston's shoulders, and as he brushed them, he picked up a pebble, and threw it down the cavern way.

It bounced for a few seconds, and stopped, the sound of its travel echoing downwards. After two seconds of awkward silence, the rock was blasted to smithereens by ten guns that popped out of the walls.

Ging heard slight gasps come from the people, and he smirked. "Oh, by the way, I might have added a few personal touches. Enjoy." He poked Pariston. "Hey, I need to get on your shoulders again." Pariston glared at him. "No! You'll ruin my suit!"

Ging rolled his eyes. "Alright, examinees," He ran to the beginning of the tunnel, and saluted them, "off you go! Don't disappoint me!" The crowd, however, didn't move as fast as he thought they would. "Smart move, I suppose."

Rushing into a booby-trapped cavern? Dumb. They couldn't stand around forever, thought, or they'd all fail. Slowly, Shalnark walked up to the tunnel entrance, and smiled. "Can I go first?" Ging grinned. "Sure, why not?"

"Yay!" Shalnark giggled, and walked about five feet. Ging waited for the bang of the booby-trap he had set underfoot, which would send two large chunks of stone on either side towards Shalnark and crush him.

Shalnark stepped right onto the trigger, looked down, and-

...

nothing happened.

"Huh?" Shalnark noticed the trigger under his feet, and began jumping on it. After a moment of everyone watching him try to work it, he sighed, and turned around. "It doesn't work." Ging slumped his shoulders. "No, Shalnark, you're just too small to activate any of them."

Shalnark thought for a moment. "Then...I can go?" Ging didn't know what else to do. He hadn't expected someone as tiny as a child to be in the exam, so his traps weren't going to work on the kid. "Sure, Shalnark, you can go. Have fun."

Shalnark's face lighted up. "Okay!" He danced off, dodging every bobby-trap, like it was some kind of fun game you played at recess. "Hey," Ging looked over to see a taller, bald man point at Shalnark, "If that kid can survive, why can't I?" The crowd began to disperse down the hall, and Ging growled. "Stupid kid..."

Now what could he do? Shalnark would spoil all of the fun because he was too small for the traps... "Hm...yeah, that could work."

He raced off down the corridor, and Pariston smiled. "Oh, dear, it looks like Ging's got a plan." He sneered. "Only Ging would be obsessed with the one examinee that didn't work out."


	3. Ch 3: Toke tag

The examinees walked slowly in smaller groups through the tunnel. Ging easily passed by them. "Honestly, no adventure in their bones," he mumbled to himself. The sound of screaming from close behind him turned him around.

The young ballerina girl had just twirled herself right into the trap of fire, where she was burned alive by two flamethrowers. He was glad that his traps would work on everyone else, at least. As he walked by, he examined the rest of the group.

A pair of Gothic twin girls with two large and terrifying dogs on either side of him, eaten alive by a wild boar Ging had found in the forest, while his dogs were the dessert. Another, older man with bright orange hair in army clothing was devoured by a few hundred giant scorpions in the dark.

"Pathetic," Ging grumbled, "where's the fighting? The intensity?" He glanced around, and smirked. A few people in front of him, he spotted Shalnark hopping around, trying not to be stepped on by the bigger examinees.

"Perfect." He began to walk over to him, ignoring the constant screams behind him. "Now, all I have to do is-hey!" He stepped back as a tall young man in a black tunic and shoes pushed him out of the way. "Well that was only rude." He watched the boy walk over to Shalnark.

Shalnark clapped his hands as he watched a few people fall into a dark tunnel in the ground, filled with venomous snakes. "That's so funny!"

The young man walked over to Shalnark, crouched down behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me." Shalnark turned around, and smiled. "Hi there!" The young man brushed back his long black hair behind his shoulder, revealing his dark blue eyes. "Hello, there. My name is Toke. What's yours?"

Shalnark grinned. "My name is Shalnark, and I'm playing, too!" Toke smiled. "Wow! Do you mind if I play with you?" Shalnark thought for a moment, and Ging smirked. "This is probably one of the biggest questions he ever faces."

After a few seconds of pondering, Shalnark nodded. "Okay, you can play with me." Toke stood up. "Good. How about...I'm it?" Shalnark tilted his head. "It? For what?" Toke laughed. "Tag, silly! Look out!"

Shalnark squealed and ran off, Toke chasing after him. Ging watched them go, and growled. "I don't believe it! That kid stole my plan! And what kind of stupid name is Toke, anyways?"

Ging's plan had been simple – if he got Shalnark to interact with him, and play a game, he would finish the phase sooner, and the second examiner could deal with him, while Ging could have fun dealing with the examinees that could actually get hurt by his booby-traps.

Now, he couldn't even start his plan, since the Toke boy had already run off after him. "Why...?" Ging moaned. "Oh, I get it now. The traps."

How could he have been so naive?! Shalnark could see all of the booby-traps because he was so small, and they appeared so big to him. Toke must have known this, and knew that, if he got Shalnark to play a game with him, not only would everyone else ignore them, but Shalnark would lead a straight path that wouldn't involve being hurt by any of the traps!

Ging crossed his arms. "No fair." He ran off to see what else Toke had in mind. There was something about him that didn't feel right. Then again, he wasn't a kid person.

The exam went on for about two hours, and Ging could tell that the numbers were shrinking. The tunnel was becoming less crowded, and he noticed that some of his favourite picks weren't walking around.

"At least I didn't bet money on anyone." He chuckled, and looked ahead. It would take another few minutes until they reached the exit of the tunnel, and out into the next phase. Where exactly that was, he didn't know.

He caught a glimpse of some of the examinees faces. They were tired, hungry and sweaty, but they were also filled with pride for coming so far. Each of them showed off a radiance of strength, and Ging couldn't wait to see what would come next.

He looked over to his right to see Shalnark still running around, Toke following. "Geez," Ging retorted, "how much energy can one kid have?" The sound of laughing and squealing answered his question. "Oh, right – unlimited."

Suddenly, Shalnark stopped, and turned to face Toke, who looked down at him. "Is something wrong, Shalnark?" Shalnark frowned. "I'm hungry." Toke smiled. "The phase will be over soon, and then you can have some wild berries, okay?"

Shalnark giggled. "Okay." He ran off, this time jumping on every trap under his feet, screaming out, "The floor is lava! The floor is lava!" Toke smirked, and followed him at a close pace. Ging glared at him.

How did Toke know the phase would be over soon? Was he just guessing based on the time?...No, then he wouldn't make a guess, since exams can go on for days. And what was that about berries? How did Toke know there were going to be berries outside of the tunnel?

Soon, Toke stopped. Ging cocked an eyebrow. "Why is he stopping?" Ging walked over behind him, masking his presence. Toke watched as Shalnark ran ahead, until he stopped in front of a long, brown string an inch off of the ground, reaching from one side of the tunnel wall to the next.

"_Wait a minute," _Ging thought, _"I didn't make a booby-trap with string!"_

"Yeah!" Shalnark clapped his hands, and jumped on the string, snapping it in half. He turned around to face the rest of the examinees. "Look, I worked it!" They stopped to see him, only to hear a loud 'SNAP' sound above them.

Ging looked over Shalnark's head to see that the ceiling of the cavern began to shift, and a large camo blanket, exactly like the ceiling, fell on top of Shalnark, who was now nothing but a lump under it. Above him, large boulders began to fall.

"Hey," Shalnark shuffled around under the blanket, "who turned out the lights?"


	4. Ch 4: An old surprise

"Shalnark!" Ging tackled him out of the way as the massive group of boulders fell from the ceiling, crashing into the ground and blocking the tunnel. He stood up, and pulled the blanket off of Shalnark. "You okay, kid?"

Shalnark looked up at him and giggled. "Yup! That was fun, let's do it again!" Ging flicked him on the head. "One more second, and you would have been playing in the afterlife!" He turned around to examine the damage.

The entire tunnel was blocked off, with no way around it. "Great," he moaned, "someone has set up bobby-traps in MY test!" Shalnark stood up and shrugged. "No pain, no gain." Ging walked over and tapped them.

"...Toke." He growled. Toke had stopped right before Shalnark had set off the trap. How had he known?..."Toke set the whole thing up!" He stomped his foot against the ground, and Shalnark walked up beside him. "How do we move them? Uvogin isn't here."

Ging sighed. "Whoever Uvogin is, it doesn't matter. I'll get rid of them – I'll have to, or Pariston will never stop making fun of me." Raising his fist, he concentrated on his _nen_, until his entire fist was surrounded by it.

"Take THIS!" He rammed his fist into the boulders, and immediately, they crumbled to the ground. As the sprinkle of rocks settled on the ground, Ging faced the rest of the shocked and stunned examinees. Shalnark clapped behind him. "Good work, Ging! Do it again!"

Ging glared at Toke. "Don't worry, I will – right into his head!" He strutted over and grabbed Toke by the front of his shirt, lifting him slightly off the ground. "You little sneak!" Toke tried to loosen his grip, but Ging shook him. "You knew about the trap this whole time!"

Toke frowned. "What are you talking about? Of course I did, we all saw the string!" A few of the examinees behind him nodded slightly. Ging wouldn't have it. He slammed Toke into the rock wall. "Start talking, or I'll make you!"

Toke glared back at him. "What's there to say?! I'm innocent. You're the one who made the traps, right?" Ging pushed him harder into the rock. "I didn't make that one. Why would I want to delay the phase by trapping you all, including myself, in the tunnel?! Huh?!"

Toke didn't answer at first. "...So someone messed up the phase? You let this happen?" Ging stopped for a moment. "I...like I ever meant to...I know you did this!" He took his fist, and raised it. Toke closed his eyes.

"Ging!"

Ging felt a smack to the back of his head, and he dropped Toke onto the ground. "Who did that-?!" He spun around to face none other than Netero. "You?!" Ging rolled his eyes. "What brings you here, old man?"

The man was wearing a grey robe with dark blue lining, and his familiar brown shoes and white socks, giving him just a bit of height. His white hair was in a top ponytail as usual, and his grin was just as big, his eyes just as bright.

Netero laughed. "I heard there was trouble. Something about you not being able to keep tabs on a little boy you led into the exam?" Ging smirked. "Who told you such lies?" Netero stared at him. "Pariston called me."

_That rat. Once this is over, I'll wring his scrawny neck!_

Toke stood up. "Look, we all knew about the trap, Shalnark's happy, and we're all alive – most of us. Isn't that enough for you?" Ging growled at him, but backed away. "Fine, continue with the exam. Whatever."

He walked away, Netero following. They walked by Shalnark, who smiled. "You're old." Netero winked at him. "And you must be little Shalnark. Are you sure you can take the exam?" Shalnark nodded, and Netero chuckled. "Very well."

Ging crossed his arms as the exam continued. "You seem tense, Ging," Netero walked beside him in pace, "that trap wasn't yours, was it?" Ging shook his head. "That's right. Someone thought they could mess with my phase – phooey!"

Netero's face became serious. "Ging, once this is over, we need to talk. In private." Ging glanced at him. "What are you talking about?" Netero looked around. "Not here. Too many...suspicious ears." Ging looked behind him.

Toke walked behind them, smiling as Shalnark jumped around beside him, still smiling like an idiot. The rest of the examinees seemed to have stopped worrying about the bobby-traps, and it was finally time to rest.

The phase was over for now. Ging hadn't set up any more traps. Whoever was next, it was their turn to deal with them. However, Ging felt something was off. "...Old man, I have a favour to ask you." Netero turned to him. "Oh? And what's that?"

Ging glanced back at Toke, who shot him a quick look before Shalnark tore his attention away to watch him jump "higher than a mutated bunny rabbit". "...There's something wrong, isn't there?" After a small silence, Netero sighed.

"Yes, there is. Once we're alone, I'll tell you more, but for now, let's just finish this phase. That trap...you're sure you had no idea about it?" Ging nodded. "Once I saw the string, I knew something was up."

Netero grinned. "So you saved the child, eh?" Ging gawked. "Oi, I only did it because the kid was supposed to die from one of my traps, not someone else's!" Netero snickered. "Oh, ho, ho! I see now." Ging bit his lower lip, and turned away.

"Whatever. I don't care for some nosey, stubborn, no good brat!" Netero rested his arms behind his back. "Well, if that's what you say, Ging, it HAS to be true." A light ahead caught their attention, and Ging grumbled.

"Well, there you go, the exit of the first phase. That was fast." He and Netero walked out beside the tunnel entrance. "Let's see how many survived". They watched as the examinees poured out in tiny groups, Toke and Shalnark in front.

Once they were all out, Ging took count – and gasped. "What the-?!" Netero's eyes widened. "Well, Ging, looks like you met your quota, even beyond it..."

"There are only fifty examinees left."


End file.
